Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-01-02
-. 80 uu lUNG OR SR0k1.


stairs OF brokers' offices on Broad street
Chat was fifteen years aso) | knew
Solomon Mopus. As rose in the ranks
and carried on a small business OF my
own my acquaintance with Solomon
Mopus continued. 1 cannot tell how be
got his start in the world or began to
Apake money in Wall street, hut it was
pbably il small way, trading in a few
res and accepting little profits. Some
1xy or other Solomon Mopus' prosperity
s9H43R rapid one. Our people did bust
fTAA with him, and his credit was excel
II Gi{y TNsSNgh his ventures, at least with
~ a,l9<E tritiing ones. Occasionally
IsSSeafd OF large speculations undertaken
sHby solomon Mopus through other houses,
a Asnd tracing the rumors 10 their source,
tn as surprised to learn that they actually
NylGad existence. studied solomon Mopus,
a trying to understand his method. lie
seemed to me to be about the most ignor-
ant man in regard To the general condi-
tions OF the market l ever came across.
! One thing he had supreme contempt tor
were "points." He even was Indifferent
$40 taking handsome profit, and in some
,I~5K his smaller ventures with our house
NkrN>e known him when he was several
- ndreds of dollars on the good side let
gain vanish because he was set on
tting that one-eighth or one-quarter
lre, which never came.
w bat Mopus bad was the utmost con-
Edence in his own Judgment. He met
oss promptly, had never to be reminded
that margin was needed, and when
there was balance to his credit on
successful turn be never was in a hurry
to draw 1t. His balances with us were
never large, though l learned he could
draw big check when he wanted TO.
He was prover6ally careless about his
ACCOUNTS, and rarely would look at any
ng but the balance for or against him.
mink if he had been charged a double
kissiOn or too muchinterest he never
Ssdfd have been any the wiser. just as
Eften as not he declined taking any
eunts at all.
Is young man made a careful study
&sa4 alomop. MOpus. and tnough be puzzled
8sSzfs liked him. He took quite
)3s3Yn1 When was badly hurt 10
road accident he came to see me at
WIDOW ding house, sent me wine and
fuit. and wanted to pay my DOCTORS bill
for me, but the frmI was with, very kind
people, got wind OF Solomon Mopus' in
tended action and betrayed themselves
my medical attendance. When, some
years later, the senior member of the
house died and the concern went out OF
existence, set up for myself in modest
way, and a few of the customers of the
y old house gave me portion of their busi-
ness, and among tnem was Solmon Mo-
pus. In time | took a partner who
went on the beard, and be-
fore long 1--WE had a fair busi-
ness. 1t was my duty to go of evenings
10 the Fifth Avenue Hotel and see our
customers. solomon Mopus came there
occasionally, and my study OF him con-
tinued. He intrusted me with small ven-
lures, and they were not fortunate. He
always took things pleasantly, never
KcomplainIDgly. Once said to him "that
was sorry he had not done BETTER" and
Bis reply was: sob, it's all right enough.
You can't always be right you know
What's S. or So, 900? am simply waiting.
v time will come" Then he talked
6rses and the turf. l knew that Solomon
lopus had a liking for betting on horses,
but he made no bones IN telling me that
be WAS the most ignOI ant man as to pedi-
frees and stakes in New York. "My
principle.' he said, lis as follows: |
4 don't care snap for blood. Tvs only
I names go by. l take the alphabet and
make system. 1t is very simple one,
The foundation rests on this: A goes
before b and c before D. Well, If Achilles
k>Iuns against Bantam,or Clio al sinst Don,
put my money on Achilles and Clio
fagalDst Bantam and Don. 1t is as good
n rule as any other. In the long run,
"a quite Indifferent to the odds which take
~ or give according to the rating of the
khorses, | have found myself rather in
fshan ont. In betting on yachts, OF course
q 1.-THE G's are tair letters. l had To back the
~ M's, and you will find that the z is WIN
ming letter."
"Thaps nonsense, If you will excuse
me, Mr. Mopus," / replied laugbingly.
''Of course it is, but it is system as
good as anything else," was hiN reply.
"Once when [ was under fire four Rus
sian solders took deliberate aim at me
mas if they were on drill. No. l missed
PIE, No. hit me, No. never touched
,Npe, and No. brought me down. L have
slaXth in uneven numbers
R'a5 k,When did that happen?" asked.
- n an Insignificant rebellion in Poland,
Ma ich this is a souvenir" ana Solo
xI4,SS 1dopus showed an ugly scar on his
H@#4ck. "It always Drthers me when there
~ going TO be change in the weather.
n |eel neuralgia pains this very .Gstan'."
k~"Yes, il looks like a summers storm,
4 and is threatening nOw," l replied.
"Why, il is raining" said Mr.. Solomon
Mopus, "SuppOse you wait here little
"A while. 1t might happen that the fancy
q struck me 10 make some purchases to.
night" And then Mopus lett me. l had
thought that Mopus was an Austrian
Jew, but now / supposed he was a Pole
He was an educated man, and spokL
many languages well. l thought no
more of solomon Mopus, and was chat
& ting with some friends when / noticed
Dir. Mopus coming quietly in smoking a
v cigar He took a seat, bought a news
paper and was absorbed in reading it.
IA There was a chair near him in the hotel
a corridor, and the noise OF the chair as
|& moved 1t announced nv neighborhood 10
n him. What he said was this: ''As we'll
Y you as anybody else. Take my order for
LOCO shares of Hannibal and Carthage,
Ito be bought a. he best price at the open
ing OF the board tomorrow. That's all.
III you want a margin you can have it,"
and he went on reading his paper.
t had the utmost confidence in the man
- took the order. Next morning Han
al and Carthage opened at 81, and my
krtner bought the 1000 shares. Imme-
lately after the purchase there was a
ecline, and the stock at the close OF the
day was OIL X. The next evening Mr..
iopus gave an order for the purchase OF
mother Thousand at the opening OF tue
GARD, with no limit as to price. Han
bibal and Carthage began at 90, at which
bgure the purchase WAS made, and before
blessing was off one more point.
That afternoon he came to the Office
Of bit disturbed. ave have" he said.
boo shares that show some little loss.
You Will buy tomorrow 5000 more